FSU’s Dalvin Cook says he’s healthy and ready for NFL

Florida State running back Dalvin Cook is easily one of the best and most highly touted prospects in this year’s NFL Draft class. He is not, however, one of the cleanest.

Cook was charged with but later found not guilty of a domestic violence charge as a sophomore and he has twice had to have surgery to repair a bum right shoulder, the last time just last spring.

Cook says he’s had to address both of those issues during meetings with prospective NFL teams while here at the NFL Scouting Combine but he doesn’t believe either will dampen team’s enthusiasm for him.

“I tell every team I’m open and willing to answer every question,’’ Cook said. “I ain’t hiding nothing. If they ask me I’m willing to answer. I’m willing to move forward to be a better person.’’

“I checked out my medical,’’ Cook said while speaking to reporters on Thursday. “(With) every team, I passed my medical exam, so my shoulders are stable. They’re solid and I’m ready to go.’’

Indeed, but to where? Cook is a player who is starting to rise up team’s draft boards. Once considered a strong possibility to go to the Buccaneers at No, 19, there’s talk now that he could go as high as No. 4 to Jaguars or at least in the top five to someone.

Cook, of course, says he’d be glad to go anywhere, but he strongly suggested that the opportunity to play with former Seminoles, now Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston in Tampa would be something special.

“That would be a dream come true,’’ Cook said. “I played with Jameis for like a half a year and the games and the experiences that we had together, it was something that I will always remember.

“He’s one of those quarterbacks, he’s going to always make sure you’re doing the right thing, that you’re on top of it, being the player he knows you can be. He’s just one of those leaders that you just want to be around.’’

Roy Cummings is a native of Chicago, Illinois who grew up in the suburb of Lombard. He and his family later moved to Lakeland, Florida, where Roy attended high school at Kathleen High. He graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communications in 1983 and immediately went to work for the Tampa Tribune. After five years working in a Polk County bureau covering everything from high school sports to college football to the Orlando Magic of the NBA, Roy moved back to Tampa and became the Tribune's first beat writer for the Tampa Bay Lightning, covering the team from its inception through the first eight years on the ice. He was then moved to the Buccaneers beat, where he stayed until the paper was folded in May, 2016. A two-time Florida Sports Writer of the Year, Roy has extensive experience covering all Tampa professional sports teams, including the Tampa Bay Rays.

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